Patents Assigned to Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20150194551
    Abstract: A solar cell array includes multiple cells connected to one another in series on a surface. The array includes first and second different types of solar cells. Incorporating two different types of cells can facilitate various layouts of the cells in the array, including compact arrangements. In some implementations, the use of two different types of cells can allow arrangements in which voltage terminals of opposite polarity to be disposed at a sufficiently large distance from one another so as to help reduce the occurrence of ESD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: EMCORE SOLAR POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Crist, Chetung George Huang, Jeff Steinfeldt, Pravin Patel
  • Publication number: 20150104898
    Abstract: A method of fabricating both a multijunction solar cell and an inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell in a single process using a MOCVD reactor by forming a first multijunction solar cell on a semiconductor substrate; forming a release layer over the first solar cell; forming an inverted metamorphic second solar cell over the release layer; and etching the release layer so as to separate the multijunction first solar cell and the inverted metamorphic second solar cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Derkacs
  • Publication number: 20150090321
    Abstract: A method of forming a multijunction solar cell comprising at least an upper subcell, a middle subcell, and a lower subcell, the method including forming a first alpha layer over said middle solar subcell using a surfactant and dopant including selenium, the first alpha layer configured to prevent threading dislocations from propagating; forming a metamorphic grading interlayer over and directly adjacent to said first alpha layer; forming a second alpha layer using a surfactant and dopant including selenium over and directly adjacent to said grading interlayer to prevent threading dislocations from propagating; and forming a lower solar subcell over said grading interlayer such that said lower solar subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to said middle solar subcell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Cho, Yong Lin, Pravin Patel, Mark A. Stan, Arthur Cornfeld, Daniel McGlynn, Fred Newman
  • Publication number: 20150059837
    Abstract: A multijunction solar cell including a contact layer with sulfur passivation on the surface of the contact layer adjacent to the window layer overlying the top subcell of the solar cell. The passivation is performed by application of a solution of ammonium sulphide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20150040971
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a solar cell including: providing a first substrate and a second substrate; depositing on the first substrate a sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a solar cell including a top subcell and a bottom subcell; forming a back metal contact over the bottom subcell; applying a conductive polyimide adhesive to the second substrate; attaching the second substrate on top of the back metal contact; and removing the first substrate to expose the surface of the top subcell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Stan, Chelsea Mackos, Jeff Steinfeldt
  • Publication number: 20150040972
    Abstract: An inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell including a contact layer with sulfur passivation on the surface of the contact layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20150034152
    Abstract: A multijunction solar cell including a window layer with sulfur passivation on the surface of the window layer adjacent to the contact layer overlying the top subcell of the solar cell. The passivation is performed by application of a solution of ammonium sulphide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20150034151
    Abstract: An inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell including a window layer with sulfur passivation on the surface of the window layer of the top solar subcell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20140373905
    Abstract: A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell; a second solar subcell adjacent to the first solar subcell; a first graded interlayer adjacent to the second solar subcell; a third solar subcell adjacent to the first graded interlayer such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell. A second graded interlayer is provided adjacent to the third solar subcell, and a lower fourth solar subcell is provided adjacent to the second graded interlayer, such that the fourth subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the third subcell. An encapsulating layer composed of silicon nitride or titanium oxide disposed on the top surface of the solar cell, and an antireflection coating layer disposed over the encapsulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Cornfeld
  • Patent number: 8895342
    Abstract: Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cells having a heterojunction middle subcell and a graded interlayer, and methods of making same, are disclosed herein. The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a solar cell using an MOCVD process, wherein the graded interlayer is composed of (InxGa1-x)yAl1-yAs, and is formed in the MOCVD reactor so that it is compositionally graded to lattice match the middle second subcell on one side and the lower third subcell on the other side, with the values for x and y computed and the composition of the graded interlayer determined so that as the layer is grown in the MOCVD reactor, the band gap of the graded interlayer remains constant at 1.5 eV throughout the thickness of the graded interlayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Stan, Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20140342494
    Abstract: A method of forming a multijunction solar cell including an upper subcell, a middle subcell, and a lower subcell by providing a substrate for the epitaxial growth of semiconductor material; forming a first solar subcell on the substrate having a first band gap; forming a second solar subcell over the first solar subcell having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; forming a graded interlayer over the second subcell, the graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; forming a third solar subcell over the graded interlayer having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell; and forming a contact composed of a sequence of layers over the first subcell at a temperature of 280° C. or less and having a contact resistance of less than 5×10?4 ohms-cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Tansen Varghese, Arthur Cornfeld
  • Patent number: 8859886
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating multijunction solar cells that may include providing a substrate, and depositing a nucleation first layer over and directly in contact with the substrate. The methods may also include depositing a second layer containing an arsenic dopant over the nucleation layer. The nucleation layer may serve as a diffusion barrier to the arsenic dopant such that diffusion of the arsenic dopant into the substrate is limited in depth by the nucleation layer. The methods may also include depositing a sequence of layers over the second layer forming at least one solar subcell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Stan, Nein Y. Li, Frank A. Spadafora, Hong Q. Hou, Paul R. Sharps, Navid S. Fatemi
  • Publication number: 20140166067
    Abstract: A system for generating electrical power from solar radiation utilizing a thin film III-V compound multijunction semiconductor solar cell mounted on a support in a non-planar configuration is disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel McGlynn, Paul R. Sharps, Arthur Cornfeld, Mark A. Stan
  • Patent number: 8753918
    Abstract: A method of forming a solar cell including: providing a semiconductor body including at least one photoactive junction; forming a semiconductor contact layer composed of GaAs deposited over the semiconductor body; and depositing a metal contact layer including a germanium layer and a palladium layer over the semiconductor contact layer so that the specific contact resistance is less than 5×10?4 ohms-cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Tansen Varghese, Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20140116500
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mounted solar cell by providing a first substrate; depositing on the first substrate a sequence of layers of semiconductor material to form a multijunction solar cell using an MOCVD process; depositing a metal electrode layer on its surface of the layers of semiconductor material; attaching a metallic flexible film comprising a nickel-cobalt ferrous alloy material, or a nickel iron alloy material, directly to the surface of the metal electrode layer of the semiconductor solar cell. The first substrate is removed, and an electrical interconnection member is attached to the solar cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Stan, Chelsea Mackos, Paul R. Sharps, Cory Tourino, Arthur Cornfeld
  • Publication number: 20140102529
    Abstract: A solar cell interconnect assembly and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. In an embodiment, the method may include: providing a solar cell having an interconnect member formed thereon, the interconnect member comprising a metallic part formed on a surface of the solar cell and a first precursor layer formed over the metallic part; providing an interconnector comprising a second precursor layer at a surface thereof; heating the interconnector and the interconnect member to a temperature equal to or above a eutectic temperature of the materials of the first and second precursor layers and pressing one of them against the other so as to form a eutectic liquid phase; and isothermal solidifying the eutectic liquid to form a bonding layer of eutectic alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Cory Tourino, Arthur Cornfeld, Pravin Patel, Andreea Boca
  • Patent number: 8686282
    Abstract: A system for generating electrical power from solar radiation utilizing a thin film III-V compound multijunction semiconductor solar cell mounted on a support in a non-planar configuration is disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel McGlynn, Paul R. Sharps, Arthur Cornfeld, Mark A. Stan
  • Publication number: 20140000672
    Abstract: A solar cell assembly, a solar cell array, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The solar cell assembly may include a solar cell and an interconnection member, the interconnection member comprising a first portion and a second portion attached to the first portion with an angle formed therebetween. The solar cell array may comprise at least two said solar cell assemblies. In an embodiment, the top surfaces of the first solar cell and the second solar cell are arranged such that the second portion of the first interconnect member and the second portion of the second interconnection member are adjacent to each other, and at least the end portion of the second portion of the first interconnection member is bended together with at least the end portion of the second portion of the second interconnection member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Cory Tourino
  • Publication number: 20130327378
    Abstract: A multijunction solar cell including a first solar subcell having a first band gap and a first short-circuit current; a second solar subcell disposed over the first solar subcell and having a second band gap greater than the first band gap and a second short-circuit current greater than the first short-circuit current by an amount in the range of 2% to 6%; a third solar subcell disposed over the second solar subcell and having a third band gap greater than the second band gap and a third short-circuit current less than the first short-circuit current by an amount in the range of 2% to 6%; and a fourth solar subcell disposed over the third solar subcell having a fourth band gap greater than the third band gap, and a fourth short-circuit current less than the third short-circuit current by an amount in the range of 6% to 10%, so that at an “end of life” state of the multijunction solar cell in an AM0 space environment the short-circuit current of each of the subcells are substantially identical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: EMCORE SOLAR POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Pravin Patel, Benjamin Cho
  • Patent number: D720313
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Emcore Solar Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Flynn, Benjamin C. Richards